Meet Edgar Quero and Ky Bush, the two new additions from the Lucas Giolito deal

News dropped late last night that Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo López would be packing their bags and heading to Los Angeles in return for top prospects Edgar Quero and Ky Bush. Allow us here at South Side Sox to introduce you to the two newest additions to the White Sox farm.

Edgar Quero, C, LAA No. 2 Prospect, MLB No. 65

Quero is a switch-hitting catcher who has shown an aptitude for strong contact from both sides of the plate so far in his professional career. At 20 years old, he has an advanced approach and displays patience and discipline well beyond his years. In 70 games at Double-A Rocket City this year, he’s walked (54) more than he’s struck out (53) — a balance also reflected in the 2023 White Sox draft class — and has connected for 16 extra-base hits. Across 219 minor league games, Quero owns a .280/.414/.456 slash line, good for an .870 OPS. He profiles as a gap-to-gap doubles hitter more than a true power bat, so readers shouldn’t expect gaudy home run numbers from the young catcher, though he did connect for 17 homers in 111 games for Class-A Indland Empire last year.

Quero is a native of Cienfuegos, Cuba, a city that has a reputation for producing major league talent, including current teammate Yoán Moncada and old friend José Abreu. He figures to fit in well with a Sox organization that has a robust scouting operation in Cuba, with five of their top 30 prospects hailing from there.

MLB.com projects a 2025 major league ETA for the young catcher, but depending on his performance with his new organization and the fate of potential trade candidate and fellow Cuban countryman Yasmani Grandal, Quero could find himself with the big league club ahead of that projection, given his polish at the plate.

His defense and game-calling could use some more seasoning in the minor leagues. While Quero has a strong arm, he’s only managed to gun down a meager 25% of base-stealers, indicating mechanical adjustments may be needed to get the most out of his control of the running game going forward.

Ky Bush, LHP, LAA No. 3 prospect
Bush is a projectable 6´6´´, 240-pound left-handed starting pitcher from Utah. The Angels took him with their second round pick (No. 45 overall) in 2021. Bush profiles as a crafty lefty with strong off-speed offerings and plus command. Through 34 starts in the minors, Bush has proven to be able to miss bats (10.1 K/9) as well as limit walks (3.0 BB/9), pitching to 4.47 ERA in 145 innings while punching 163 tickets.

Bush’s sweeping slider is his best pitch, but his changeup is a close second, displaying dramatic downward vertical movement that drops off the plate seemingly without warning. He throws a fastball that can touch 96 mph, but is more often parked in his cruising range in the low-90s. Scouts believe the big lefty should be able to add a tick or two of velocity to his fastball as he progresses, which could blow by off-balance hitters who choose to sit on his low-80s slider.

Depending on the consistency of his velocity, the White Sox could potentially have a mid-rotation to No. 2 starter on their hands. MLB.com projects the lefty getting the call to pitch in the majors sometime this year, however injuries at the beginning of Bush’s 2023 campaign may push that timeline back a bit. It remains to be seen how the White Sox’s starting rotation shapes up post-deadline, but it’s not inconceivable for Bush to get a cup of coffee with the big league club in 2023.

The White Sox appear to have made off like bandits in this deal, securing two high-floor, high-rated prospects in exchange for two rental pieces whose performances have proven to be remarkably inconsistent during their South Side tenures. It remains to be seen how Quero and Bush perform against Triple-A talent, but readers should expect to find out sooner rather than later, given this organization’s tendency to aggressively advance prospects through the minors. And, with the White Sox’s stated intention to compete for a postseason spot in 2024, there’s a non-zero chance that we see both players with the big league club as early as next season.